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I’m trying to make sense of an email I have gotten. This guy was pretty unhappy with the media and had picked me to vent, as well as probably other people in my business. He had been hitting in The Talk Pod and on the fill in programs I’ve been doing on Talk 910 in the Bay Area. He couldn’t understand why, we the media, and me in particular continued to talk about domestic violence in the NFL. He said that these were a few isolated incidents and that they had been taken care of, and that Ray and Janay Rice were married for goodness sake. And that it, domestic violence I’m assuming he means, goes on all the time in our society.

Well I’m going to answer you publicly. The only question is whether I should be nice, or shout… You have answered your own question, you Neanderthal, without knowing it. I think I’ll be nice and try to explain again.

As we learn more and more about domestic violence in the NFL, we learn we need to do more there. Harry Edwards, the famed, sociologist and consultant to the 49ers for over twenty years, says he warned the league that domestic violence would be the issue that could tarnish the league in years to come. So here we are… years to come is now. He actually sat down with Roger Goodell about eight years ago and repeated himself. Nothing happened. And it appears, Goodell even held on to evidence in the Rice case until the very disturbing videos were made public.

Furthermore, there is a another report saying there have been 56 domestic abuse allegations against NFL players since Goodell became commissioner.

Another report, ESPN, says the arrest rate for domestic violence among NFL players is over 50% higher than the national average.

It is a confluence of power and celebrity, the nature of the game, the lingering affect of concussions and alcohol. Edwards says alcohol, not steroid rage, or any other drugs is a chief cause of abuse issues in the NFL.

When you look at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures that one in three women in the United States have been victim to physical abuse, it is stark and nauseating. When you put in the multiples in the NFL, it is atrocious. It is unacceptable.

What is going to change the paradigm? For the NFL, sponsors, decline in revenue. It started to happen to the NBA Clippers during the Donald Sterling affair. It should happen now. It has already started, it should continue.

This is not a one time, short attention span issue. We live in a world where we watch international atrocities with horror. We have a serious problem within our borders, within one of our favorite pastimes, and within one in three abused women’s lives in our homes.

We cannot stop talking about it. We have to start doing more about it. We need to start helping the abused and those abusers. We need to stop turning the other way. It is not acceptable for partners to physically abuse each other. We can’t stop talking about it and working on it, until it stops……period.

Only that makes sense.

Ed Baxter is a regular contributor to TheTalkPod.com.

When putting together these brief travel vignettes for ALIVE, I try to share some small interaction with people of other countries – cameos that you, my readers, might have experienced. Or, at least ones that you might be able to identify with. I hope over the years I’ve been successful with this policy. This month, however, I plan to deviate and use an unusual style to highlight a new difficulty that is developing for us – the regular international travelers. The problem we face has a plus and a minus factor. I hope you’ll be able to identify with the two extremes and maybe share the method you’ve used to circumnavigate the problem. Oh, I forgot to identify the problem, so here it is: Where in the world can we go these days to assure a safe and comfortable, yet affordable trip?

The other day while watching a news broadcast, the host flashed up a map of the world with countries represented by various color combinations. The countries where fighting exists between varying religious factions came up red. There were quite a few. Certainly the Middle East was covered in red. The Israel/Palestine area is in turmoil. The Sunnis and Shiites are battling each other, making Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq areas to avoid. Pakistan, never much of a tourist site, can be included here.

So what about Africa? Well, the red was a bit muted and came out pink. But with the incidence of Ebola, the western part of the continent is not an option. Egypt is struggling to regain tourists, but there is still constant fighting between the Muslim Brotherhood and other factions. The so-called “horn” is being run by wild men, and a few other spots showed up pink as well.

Asia appeared with both Thailand and Myanmar a faded pink, having just undergone ruler changes and occasional uprisings. South America revealed the lightest shade of red on Venezuela, and a couple of other nations displayed rosy blotches

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. In fact I’ll bet you might be able to add some countries to the list that I’ve omitted. But, I did say in my introduction that there is a plus and a minus. Let’s focus for a minute on the plus.

Air travel to any place in the world has become easier. Sure, the inspections at the airport generate frustration, and the lines go on forever. We older people can keep our shoes and jackets on which helps a bit. Both passengers and inspectors have years of experience now, so this passage seems almost routine. Flights in general are more comfortable these days as well. In most cases you can travel directly to your destination, and often the flight time is shorter as the planes are a bit faster.

So where does all of this confusion and uncertainty leave us? Well for one thing, if you are traveling abroad pick a country or an area that is currently stable. Or the converse – avoid areas that are at war, in revolt, or going through some other turmoil. Next, hunt for areas where history, art, or scenery will give you pleasure. The topics transcend time, and difficulties may fade into the background. Many works of art have given locals and tourists pleasure for centuries. The sights enrich your life and may give you stories to share.

Me? I’ve made a selection for my next offshore excursion. It will remain a secret until next month when it will become a story in ALIVE for you to read, and hopefully enjoy.

To most people Western music conjures up thoughts of cowboys, Indians, the Wild West, wagon trains, pioneers, settlers, westward expansion, exploration, and the Continental Railroad. Musicologists consider Western music as a form of music indigenous to the United States. However, there is a caveat; much of Western music has origins influenced by the folk music of the British Isles, including England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Along with Western music, Appalachian music, often called hillbilly music, has similar origins in folk music. Much of both Western and Appalachian music was composed by people living and working in these regions of the country. Although the vast majority of Western music was composed by Westerners, serious internationally known composers also penned Western music. Aaron Copland (1900-1990), without a doubt, is the most well-known. He wrote Billy the Kid in 1938, Rodeo in 1942 and Appalachian Spring in 1944. These very famous and often played pieces are still popular today.

The Grand Canyon Suite, by Ferde Grofe (1892-1972), depicting the great geological formation in Arizona, is also a very well-known piece of Western music.

Cowboys and Indians, lawmen and outlaws, the forty-niners, and the grandeur of the West itself have all inspired the writing of Western music. Of course there are many other aspects of the West that are set to music, but these are paramount.

Listening to Western music was, of course, limited to live performances of instrumentalists and singers in the 1800’s and early 1900’s. When the phonograph and radio came into being a whole new world of listening to this genre of music became a reality. New audiences were immediately drawn to the music of the West as it became the recipient of a new popularity.

With the advent of sound in films on the silver screen, the era of the singing cowboy came upon the American scene. They remained an important part of Western films, especially during its “hey-day” in the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. Singing cowboys portrayed in these films became authentic American heroes to the movie going public. These Western heroes were presented as being squeaky clean; good; fair-minded; never cussed; never hit a man when he was down; clean-shaven; didn’t drink or smoke; wore clean clothes and a white hat and didn’t kiss the girls. Interesting contrast to today’s movie portrayals!

Two giants of the singing cowboy genre in this era were Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Autry was born in Tioga, Texas in 1907. Autry was known as the “Singing Cowboy.” He wrote and recorded many western songs. His interest in music was encouraged by his mother who taught him hymns and folk songs. One of his early jobs was working for the railroad for $35 a month. Later Autry became a telegraph operator and it was here that he was discovered. He worked at night and when he was not busy he played the guitar and sang. He was heard by a customer and was told that he would probably have a future in radio. That customer was humorist and actor, Will Rogers. Autry’s film, radio, and television career followed. He was an enormous success and a great influence, writing, singing and playing Western music. Autry died in 1998 when he was 91.

Roy Rogers, known as “The King of the Cowboys,” was born in 1911. His early music career started with an appearance on a radio show singing, playing guitar and yodeling. In 1931, when he was 20 years old, he joined “The Rocky Mountaineers”, a local country group.

In 1932 Rogers and two others left the Mountaineers and formed a trio. A year later, in 1933, they put a new group together, named the “Pioneer Trio.” Later, they formed “The Sons of the Pioneers” who became famous on radio and through recordings. Tumbling Tumbleweeds and Cool Water, early songs they recorded, were smash hits. Rogers’ film career began in 1935. He appeared in over 100 films and numerous radio and television episodes of “The Roy Rogers Show.” His famous horse, Trigger, billed “The Smartest Horse in the Movies” and German Sheppard dog, Bullet, were mainstays in his shows. Rogers’ television shows and Western musical films were popular with the young and old alike. Happy Trails, written by his wife, Dale Evans, became the theme song for his show. He enjoyed a long, very successful career and marriage. He died in 1998, he was 86 years old.

Espousing patriotism, heroism, and clean moral living, Rogers gained an enormous following of young fans. With his endorsement of a multitude of products—from children’s toys to cereal brands—Rogers, with Evans and Trigger, evolved into pop cultural icons. Receiving many awards during his career, Rogers was twice elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame; first as a member of the Sons of the Pioneers in 1980, and again as a soloist in 1988. To this day, he remains the only person elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame twice.

Country music today is one of the most popular forms of music in America. It takes its roots from southeastern American folk music, Western music, and the Blues. It encompasses Western music, which evolved parallel to hillbilly music from similar roots in the mid-20th century. The term “country music” is used to describe many styles and sub genres.

Please submit your questions and comments to banddirector01@comcast.net. Visit our website at www.danvilleband.org for up-to-date information about the Danville Community Band.

Today we take another trip. Not quite as far as we have gone in the past (LA or Oregon), so therefore, more accessible to the day-tripper!

First a couple of nods to the facets that led myself, with family in tow, to the Santa Cruz Ale Works. First: My son’s love of trains (he gets it from his Pop). My son turned two in early September, which required a trip to the full size train Mecca that is Roaring Camp. If you haven’t gone, you should. It’s stepping back in time to a more sensory visceral era.
Second: My wife’s, as well as my, desire to never feed our children a hot dog.
And Third: The app “Food Tripping”. This app is for the people on the go that abhor the thought of stopping at Carl’s Junior, Burger King, or Taco Bell to refuel. The app points out the gems behind these neon behemoths. The year round farmers markets, the vegetarian restaurants, the artisan beer/coffee places.

Food Tripping brought us to the doors of Ale Works. Otherwise it is safe to say that we would have never known it existed.

Santa Cruz Ale Works rests as the last door on a line of industrial, non-conformist office buildings. If not for the app and the well-placed a-frames leading up to the property, we would have assumed we were very lost. Turns out that we were exactly where we wanted to be.

We struck at the vegetarian options on Food Tripping. The front (restaurant portion) of the brewery was small and make shift. Chandeliers made from sawed off kegs. Cement floor and picnic tables inside. A tall and perfectly accented 7-10 person L-shape bar, and a large screen television bringing me up to date on everything that had been happening week one in the NFL.

We were enthusiastically welcomed with the other 6 patrons there, by barkeep Adam. This was our first taste of just how Santa Cruz this place is. Laid back, positive energy and again…extremely welcoming. I had the general sense that personal interaction is a natural talent of Adam and he is right where he should be to add to the success of this nonchalant place.

Shortly after we placed our order of a Veggie Sando, Mediterranean wrap and a mess of homemade pickles, we were served and further greeted by GM/Head Chef Jeff. More “Santa Cruz” ensued. He was brief but positive with our interaction until we had a chance to form an opinion on quality, then he returned (not too quick, certainly not too long) to see how we were enjoying our meal. Through a full mouth of fresh vegetables and feta cheese I muttered “AWESOME”. I have said this before, but bears repeating. You can taste homemade, and everything here is homemade. Smoked meats, deviled eggs (daily), fresh baked bread, sauces, krout and the pickles…everything is made in house by Jeff!

Just before we left, but not before an introduction to my plan to include them in Alive Magazine, Marc, the owner made an appearance….on a Sunday! That says a lot!

His story is awesome. Realizing that his degree in communications would be a tough match for his passion to home-brew, he went over the pond to Northern England and the University of Sunderland to achieve a degree in Brewing Technology. Just in case you didn’t know, Europeans know their beer, and now, thanks to them, Marc knows his beer better. He always knew what to do, now he knows the tech.

So this is why Ale Works makes my list. Awesome and fresh food made from scratch on site, great veggie options in addition to regular deli-fare, and above all else…Customer service, and I didn’t even try the beer. A clean and safe place to be with a flip-flop mentality.

I wish this team nothing but continued success!

150 Dubois St. Santa Cruz California, 95060
831.425.1182

Fall 2014 brings new trends to add to your wardrobe. First, start with the freshest colors: emerald green, rich amethyst, ruby red and the hues shown on the Pantone color chart.

 

 

 

Knits: Cashmeres and wool-blend sweaters–will keep you cozy on cold winter nights.

 

 

 

Silky track pants , the latest look in trousers, are both chic and comfy…what’s not to love about that?

A shearling jacket is perfect for a Lake Tahoe weekend getaway.

Menswear-inspired slippers are smokin’ hot. That’s why we love “smoking slippers”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many more trends to explore…pastels, wrap coats, plaid and small, structured handbags. Choose the items that work best for your personal style and your lifestyle, and …

Be well. Dress well.

For style tips and trends, subscribe to Carolyn’s blog at C2style.com/blog or follow her on Facebook (C2 style) and Twitter (shopwithC2style).

Ken Burns may have outdone himself with the 7 part series on PBS entitled “The Roosevelts.” What a job! Having spent so many of my early years with FDR as president, I thought he would be our president forever. Four terms of office! Can you believe it? Let’s do some FDR.

1. As with all Presidents, FDR threw out the first ball at the beginning of each baseball season for the Washington team in the American League. Although he could not put much on the ball due to his disability, local sportswriters thought he was one of the best pitchers on the woebegone team. The Washington team now is called the Nationals. What were they called in FDR’s time?

2. Just as much a member of their family as Franklin and Eleanor was their little dog. What was his name?

3. FDR was president through troubled years, including the Depression and World War II. He buoyed the spirits of Americans with a regular Friday evening radio show in which he just talked very reassuringly to the people. What was this radio broadcast called?

4. It sits at Jack London Square today. It was the Presidential yacht for FDR. What is its name?

5. We call it Camp David today. It was renamed by Dwight Eisenhower after his son. It is the presidential retreat. What did FDR call it?

6. Campobello Island in New Brunswick was an FDR favorite from childhood. Who played FDR on the stage and in the movie “Sunrise at Campobello?”

I always relish the gentle change of seasons, but the transition from summer to autumn may be my favorite time of all. Nowhere is this evolution more apparent than at the farmers’ market, where the vibrant shades of summer produce are gradually replaced by soft golden hues that mimic the colors of autumn leaves. We now have the opportunity to savor the last of the vine-ripened tomatoes while we celebrate the arrival of fall’s winter squash and fuzzy kiwi fruit. The best of both worlds.

Crisp mornings, shorter days, and cozy evenings at home rekindle my nesting instinct. No trip to the farmers’ market is complete without a wreath for the front door; an armload of unripe persimmons destined for display in a favorite blue and white china bowl; or a family of big bumpy pumpkins and other winter squash to decorate the front porch. But if you consider winter squash to be purely decorative, you’re missing out on a lot.

Everybody seems to understand summer squash. There’s nothing terribly mysterious about zucchini. But winter squash? Not so much. Summer squash is harvested while the skins and seeds are still young and tender. Winter squash have mature, hard rinds and seeds that require toasting to be edible. That’s as complicated as it gets. Sure, winter squash can be huge and unwieldy, but all that’s needed to unleash the magic is a sharp knife and a bit of confidence…which comes easily with a little experience.

Look for squash with no nicks, soft spots, or signs of decay. Uncut, their thick shells form a protective barrier around the flesh so they remain fresh at cool room temperatures for months….which makes those temporary decorative uses around the house not so frivolous after all! Winter squash should be refrigerated only after it has been cut. If you want to prepare for the months ahead, cooked, pureed squash can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Winter squash is amazingly versatile: cut it into cubes, seasoned, and roasted for gluten-free “croutons”; pureed for soups, or added to minestrone or other soups; sliced or cut into chunks for a side dish; added to lasagna or other pasta dishes; or paired with fresh sage and used as a filling for ravioli. Please also know that when pureed and seasoned, like pumpkin, butternut squash makes an incredibly good pie.

Friends seem to congregate more than ever this month, as our calendars begin to fill with gatherings of every variety. What to serve? Nothing is more familiar—or easier—than a quesadilla, but add an unexpected ingredient and these little triangles of gooey goodness jump to the next level.

This version was inspired by something I ate at a cozy little café in a coastal town in Washington state. I’m not instinctively drawn to coffee joints that serve nothing but their take on vegetarian food, but it was the only place open on this cool and drizzly afternoon. I still remember the look of barely-concealed horror on my (non-foodie) friend’s face when I ordered the day’s special, a butternut squash quesadilla. Although it was indeed served on a nasty whole wheat tortilla with far too little cheese (or maybe some crazy cheese substitute), I knew the flavor combination had definite possibilities. And so I got to work.

These make a zesty appetizer to serve with cocktails; or a perfectly satisfying light lunch, served alongside a big tossed green salad. They’re so good, you may even convert a horrified friend.

Quesadillas with Butternut Squash and Chiles

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing the griddle
6 ounces peeled and seeded butternut or other winter squash, coarsely grated or finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons seeded and finely chopped jalapeño or serrano chile pepper
1 garlic clove, minced or crushed through a press
1 to 1 1/2 cups (4 to 6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 (7-inch) flour tortillas
Chipotle Crema and fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the squash and season with salt and cumin. Cook, stirring, until just tender, for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the green onions, jalapeño, and garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat.

2. Heat a griddle over medium-high heat until hot. (Alternatively, cook quesadillas one-or-two-at-a-time in large skillet.)

3. Brush the griddle lightly with oil and add the tortillas, leaving some space between them. Spread one-fourth of the squash mixture over half of each tortilla; then sprinkle evenly with cheese. Fold the tortillas in half.

4. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until lightly browned, before flipping them over with a spatula. Continue cooking until the cheese is melted and bubbly-hot on the inside and the tortillas are lightly browned on the outside, for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a cutting board.

5. Using a pizza wheel or a large knife, cut each quesadilla into 3 pie-shaped wedges. If desired, pipe or drizzle a bit of Chipotle Crema over the top of each wedge. Sprinkle with coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, or garnish the platter with cilantro sprigs. Makes 12 wedges, to serve 3 to 4.

To make Chipotle Crema:

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sour cream and a pinch of salt.
Mix in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (to taste) minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce. Stir until blended. Use at once, or cover and refrigerate.

Variations:

–If you still find corn at the farmers’ market, slice the kernels from one large ear and add them to the squash mixture before cooking.
–Grated zucchini or thin shreds of kale also make delicious additions. (And are an easy way to sneak more vegetables into your diet.)
— Adding well-drained cooked black beans to the squash mixture provides additional fiber…and the appropriate color combination for Halloween!
–This recipe is easily doubled, making it ideal for casual gatherings with friends….or snacks for little boys and ghouls.

If you’re looking to expand your entertaining repertoire—and have a lot of fun in the process—check out Peggy Fallon’s upcoming class at Draeger’s Cooking School at Blackhawk on Tuesday, October 28, at 6:30 p.m. For more information go to www.draegerscookingschool.com, or call 1-800-642-9463 ext. 261.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well.

Q. Last fall, we had a problem with raccoons as they tore up the lawn to feast on the grubs. I’d like to discourage the raccoons early on this year. Is there an easy way to tell if the lawn grubs have returned?

A. Grubs are immature beetles found in the ground, and are usually white in color. As the grubs mature, they begin to feed on the grass roots, killing patches of the lawn in the process. The damage is visible from late summer through the fall. The damage normally starts next to cement or a hot concrete edge and quickly spreads outwards toward the center of the lawn. The dead grass easily peels off the soil surface exposing the grubs. Grubs can still be present in undamaged grass; hence the raccoons return. There is a simple test for the presence of grubs using detergent and water. With stakes and string, mark off two by two foot squares. Mix two tablespoons of a liquid soap or detergent in a bucket of water and pour the solution evenly over the areas. I’d set up several test sites. The sites can be any area where the turf has turned brown and a normal area. Keep a close eye on the surface for the next ten to fifteen minutes. The detergent agitates the grubs forcing them to the soil surface. Typically, more than five grubs per quarter-square foot warrants treatment. The organic solution for grubs is to apply Beneficial Nematodes. Beneficial Nematodes kill all the soil insects except earthworms. They’re applied with a tank sprayer. Beneficial Nematodes done early on will rid the area of all the soil insects and force the raccoons to look elsewhere for a new food source. Another solution is Bayer Season Long Grub Control. It can be applied as early as May or June and provides grub control over an extended period of time. Both these products do not provide immediate results but takes seven to ten days for them to be effective. Unfortunately, the raccoons can do a lot damage in that time period so it’s suggested to start early with your controls.

Q. This spring we had two old Chinese Elm trees removed from our yard. I had expected that the roots would eventually die once the trees were gone, but now we have tree shoots sprouting up over twenty feet from the original tree site and in the middle of the lawn. I’ve sprayed the shoot(s) with Roundup, and that takes care of them, but shortly afterwards new shoots appears. Is there a product I can use to treat the roots so they die and dissolve?

A. Elms, Poplars, many fruit trees, and others will send up copious suckers when the main tree is cut down. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to the problem. Spot treating the sprouts and digging those out in the turf are the only solution. It’s a war of attrition. I wish I had a more positive answer but there isn’t one.
Buzz Bertolero is Executive Vice President of Navlet’s Garden Centers and a California Certified Nursery Professional. His web address is www.dirtgardener.com and you can send questions by email at dirtgarden@aol.com or to 360 Civic Drive Ste. ‘D’, Pleasant Hill, California. 94523 and on Facebook at Facebook.com/Buzz.Bertolero

Throughout history eyebrows have played a significant roll in fashion and identifies the era in which women lived. When we tweeze and define our brows, we are actually taking part in a long, long history of facial grooming. During the Renaissance, women shaved their eyebrows off completely, while the colonial elite in 18th-century America preferred to make their eyebrows more pronounced by adding coal to give them more definition.

More than ever, eyebrows are the focus in beauty today. How to capture the correct brow style for our generation is as important as the right way we update and apply make-up to the eyes and lips.

Eyebrows are a very significant aspect of our appearance. They are one of the most distinctive features that make up our faces. Eyebrows are also one of our most expressive facial features. Brows help us signal emotions, but they’re also on autopilot: as the pitch of your voice rises, so do your eyebrows and visa-versa. Not only do they signal our responses, when you make an expression without thinking, such as when you’re surprised, eyebrows move in a way that’s symmetrical to each other. Conversely, when you make what’s called an, ‘intended’ expression, like suspicion and curiosity, your brows will furrow asymmetrically.

A study done by MIT found that people had more trouble correctly identifying the faces of people they knew when they were presented with images of them missing their eyebrows. Thus, researchers concluded that brows might be more important for facial recognition than the eyes themselves. One of the clearest ways to tell somebody what you’re thinking is to simply move your eyebrows up or down; we all know what different eyebrow positions mean.

Your brows say more about you than you know. According to face experts, the type of eyebrow you have defines who you are. Curved eyebrows indicate someone who is people-oriented and needs real-world examples to understand a problem. While straight eyebrows with a slight arch imply that someone is more direct, factual, and logical, thriving on technical details. Angled eyebrows show someone who likes to be right and strives to be mentally in-control, no matter the situation. Unkempt eyebrows could give a person the persona that he doesn’t care and could be aloof. Happy face eyebrows or rounded eyebrows can make you look mad or mean even if you’re not.

Having your eyebrows shaped professionally is key. Whatever the shape everyone is individually different with their own personality. You cannot find your ideal shape with an eyebrow stencil or by reading a magazine.
Having a professional with expert knowledge and experience in eyebrow shaping is one of the best beauty assets you can have and is as important as washing your face.

Discover your own eyebrow personality by seeing a professional today. So few women know how to shape their own brows but it is one of the most important things you can do. Paying attention to the smallest of details tells a lot about who you are. A Confident, refined, sophisticated, and a modern girl.

Life always seems to be better in hindsight. I’m thinking of 25 years ago when the music was better and so was the traffic. Not only that, but as a nation, we each weighed an average of 25 pounds less. A lot of very competent people have tried to figure out why, but they stop thinking when they see that we are eating from 200 to 400 more calories per day now than we did then. The assumption is that this is just a calorie issue, but nothing could be further from the truth — the source of the calories matters. We now know that the additional weight doesn’t come from eating extra fat or from protein. It comes from eating carbohydrates, pure and simple.

You’ve heard about the formula for weight loss of “calories in equals calories out,” right? Well, that formula is wrong. We have biochemical processes that burn or store energy and some of us store much more than others, making that equation far too simplistic.

The formula I use is:

Calories in (-) Fat storage = Calories out (feel good energy)

Since we all store or burn different levels of fat, our food intake will need to be different in order to live the same happy, energy-filled life. In some ways the drive to overeat is really a drive to increase our energy because our storage is just too efficient, leaving us feeling like we need to eat more.

It turns out that much of our increased carbohydrate intake over the last 25 years is in the form of soda and fruit drinks, (you might have heard that drinking one can of soda per day will equal 15 ½ pounds of fat gain in one year.) It turns out that the carbohydrate contained in these drinks, and many other foods we commonly eat, is FRUCTOSE. This empty, non-nutrient sugar is in the form of high fructose corn syrup (sucrose). It is incredibly cheap and is in everything from pretzels to catsup – essentially every processed food.

Here are the big problems with Fructose:

• Fructose is 7 times more reactive than glucose with advanced glycosolated end products, which is another way of saying that it ages the insides of your arteries and causes heart disease.

• 30% of our intake of fructose will become fat.

• Fructose does not suppress the hunger hormone (Ghrelin), so you will eat in spite being full.

• Fructose does not stimulate insulin or leptin, the hormone that tells your brain that you are getting fatter, and so you eat more.

• Fructose is metabolized in the liver and one result is an increase of uric acid that causes gout and also results in high blood pressure by blocking an enzyme for nitric oxide.

• Fructose increases insulin resistance and triglycerides and non-alcoholic fatter liver.

• Fructose changes the way the brain perceives your energy reserves. Essentially, you may think you are starving, so you eat more.

• Chronic use of fructose causes high blood pressure, obesity, cardiovascular disease, lipid problems and type II diabetes.

What to Do

• Get rid of sugared liquids- there is no such thing as a good sugar beverage
• Eat carbohydrates with fiber-an essential nutrient
• Wait 20 min for second portions – to get the “I feel full” signal

The good news!

There is an antidote to fructose. In nature, fructose is always accompanied with fiber, like in the case of sugar cane. That is why fruit with meals is usually OK because it limits the fructose you can take in, unlike fruit juice, and is accompanied with fiber, a nutrient that helps gut bacteria and slows the surge of the sugar rush.

Getting a grip on fructose is only one facet of a total health program, one that encompasses life style habits, diet and your individual chemistry. With appropriate blood and adrenal testing, natural treatments for weight gain are very effective.

Dr. Don Davis, D.C., DACNB is a BOARD CERTIFIED CHIROPRACTIC NEUROLOGIST in Walnut Creek. He has been serving individuals with insomnia for 30 years. For information about how you can get a free consultation with Dr. Davis, call (925) 279-4324 (HEAL). Visit us at WalnutCreekThyroidInstitute.com